Rats - glueboards. Help!

[fliptheswitch]

I'm at the end of my tether with "Rat-gate".
I've still had to luck with the traps, but Ratty is still coming in during the night.
Why is he not going for the traps I've laid out? There is no other food available for him, so I am so confused as to why he's not going for the bait (Peanut butter and chocolate). Four bloody traps! FOUR!!

Tonight I am using "the last resort".... glue boards.
I ordered two, which arrived today, but they are quite small. Wish I'd got twenty, now.
Where should I place them and, most importantly, do they work?

My plan is, to hang a bag full of a mixture of peanut butter, poison, glass and chocolate, on the kitchen drawer handle. This is where he grabbed a bag from before, so I know he can get to it.
Underneath, I was going to put one of the glue boards.
I figured if the mixture doesn't get him, the board will.

Will that work?

[Headbanger]

Flip, glad to hear there is now light at the end of the tunnel. Just a thought on the problem of Ratty decomposing under the floorboards.I'm no expert but you can take floorboards up.We had to do it when I hammered in a nail through some carpet and punctured a central heating pipe (oops!) and caused a flood. Good luck and keep us informed :)

[Psybbo]

Update please, flip

[tamborine]

Can you smell rotting eggs; that's ratty dead.

[fliptheswitch]

So sorry for the delay. I have been oh so busy.
Right. I think Ratty is long gone... as in dead.

I continued with the poison, and he continued to eat it, in huge quantities!
However, last night and the night before, he touched nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I'm hoping that means he's sloped off and died somewhere. BUT... I'm not taking any chances. The bait is still out, and I'm going to leave it a couple more nights, before I think about filling in the holes.

So... thankyou to everyone, for all your brilliant advice. I do hope that's the last we'll see of ratty, as it really has been a distressing time.
I know that sounds pathetic and dramatic, but it really has been awful.

Thankyou so much! :-)

[EDDIE51]

If the pest controller you hired had not been an idiot the job would have been done a long time ago !

[HowardKennitby]

glad you seem to have got on top of problem. If possible I would try to find a safe place where you could leave poison down for some weeks yet.

[Jemisa]

Soo glad fts (Yippeeee!!) your problem has come to an end, perhaps you can relax now it must have been awful for you. You were often in my thoughts & I'm sure if it was me I would have had a nervous breakdown.Good luck to you & I hope you now have many peaceful days & nights in the future.

jem

[fliptheswitch]

Eddie, funny you should say that, as the invoice arrived this morning from the council. I had to laugh, as I paid it.

Howard, Good idea. I think I will leave it down for a while.

Jem, I'm glad you answered, as I thought of you today. I've decided to do your milk bottle idea, and smash a couple of bottles down there. I mentioned it to someone today, and they agreed it was a great idea... so thanks! :-) x

[Jemisa]

Not really my idea fts, thats how the 'Rat Men' dealt with it years ago at my place and efficiant it was too. Its all PC today (Health & safety) but as I said to anyone (who may be thinking its cruel) it doesn't kill them its purely a deterant. Rats are intelligent creatures & they will stay away.
Again good luck.

jem

[RATTER15]

Flip, I wasn't too far out with my time scale then :)

I don't think broken class will make any difference at all to be honest, I dont think a rat is heavy enough to cut his feet on broken glass, I think a rat would just run across it unaffected!

Anyway, its gone now, well done you! :)

[fliptheswitch]

Thanks Ratter.

It was quite nice to go into the kitchen this morning, and not run! :-)

Thanks for all your help.

[Jemisa]

No Ratter they won't run over it they're not daft, they will avoid it so therefore stay away.
I'm so glad Flip has now solved the problem with help from her friends.

jem

[RATTER15]

Sorry Jemisa, I disagree, I worked directly with and around rats for over 20 years, ive heard all the old wives tails. If these things worked Pest Controllers would have been out of business many years ago and pest control companies would have marketed their own version.

[DTCwordfan]

the poisons in they use in the US force them out of the house as they become dehydrated - nails their little kidneys somehow.....and smacko, they die away from the building. Don't know if they use that in the UK

[RATTER15]

The only time glass will be effective is when used mixed in concrete to prevent them from chewing at it before it has totally hardened.

Personally I still wouldn't do it.

[Jemisa]

Ratter, I am going back over 30 years ago in our old house (pulled down now)
You're probably too young & was playing conkers in the playground in your short trousers. On the other hand I arrived with 'Noah'' :o}

jem

[joggerjayne]

So is a glueboard what it says?

The rat sticks to the glue?

And then what? You pudding it with a stick, or something???

[joggerjayne]

"pudding" ??!

[DTCwordfan]

they have rat restaurants in Belgium (in Flanders) and China (Canton)....wonder if they use boards to catch them

[RATTER15]

JJ, yes a glue board is exactly that, the rat sticks to it, I have seen rats and mice dead on these boards that have chewed off their own legs and tails to try and escape, Im amazed that we are still permitted to use them in this Country!

Barbaric things!!

Jemiza, pointing out the fact that you maybe older than me proves very little to be honest, in those days people tried many different methods, they didnt work then, they still dont work ! Sorry.